Fried Prosciutto ham with hash browns

 Prosciutto ham is dry-cured, so there is no need to cook it. But it is delicious with some delicate cooking, till on the edge of being crispy. The hash-browns were cooked in a separate pan at a medium heat until slightly browned. The prosciutto ham was cooked with the red pepper slices  (added much later). 

Cajun Chicken

Chopped chicken breast, onion, garlic and chilli. The chilli, onion and garlic were cooked first in some rape seed oil. Then I added the chopped chicken breast after about 12 minutes. Cooked at a medium heat until the chicken began to brown. Stirred frequently. The cajun seasoning was added to the basmati rice (cooked in a separate pan) along with a shake of paprika. 
 

Smoked Pork and Leek Soup

Some smoked pork trimmings in the fridge needed to be used, so I put together this soup. The soup base is essentially half a courgette (diced), one medium sized leek cut into wheels, and one carrot (grated with a rotary grater). Plus a diced handful of fresh coriander, salt, and some ham (or pork) stock. The vegetables were first fried in some rape seed oil (ten minutes at a medium heat).

I added a generous amount of boiling water (about one pint).

I diced about 200g of the pork trimmings and added them to the pot about half an hour later. Cooked at a medium heat under glass for at least 90 minutes.

Completely delicious!
 

Smoked Ham Offcuts with Egg and Potatoes

Bargain smoked Ham offcuts from Aldi, served cold, with fried egg and boiled semi-skinned potatoes. The egg was cooked in a little rape seed oil. Dressed in freshly ground black pepper. 

 

Vegetable Stir-Fry

 Fabulous stir-fry made with white cabbage, dark cabbage, beansprouts, carrot strips, chunks of yellow pepper, white onion, red chilli, diced and pressed garlic, and black pepper. I used rape seed oil in the wok.

Minced beef, with Spaghetti

 A jar of Polish preserved red peppers had been sitting at the back of a cupboard for a while, and I decided to open it. I diced the peppers and cooked them with the leek and the carrots and the chickpeas for about 25 minutes. Then I added the minced beef, and cooked the whole assemblage for another forty-five minutes under glass at a low to medium heat (stir frequently!). I added water a couple of times, plus half a dozen bay leaves. 

Served with Italian made wheat free spaghetti (Sainsbury's) and black pepper (remove the bay leaves). 

Creamed Chicken and Leek Soup

 Wonderful soup, made with diced leek cooked in rape seed oil for twenty minutes, and half a breast of chicken, diced into small pieces. Cooked in milk and vegetable stock, and then I added single cream to the dish. Cooked for an hour. Delicious!